Crawford is actually vastly underrated. Imo he's a top 3 goalie in the league, probably a top 5 goalie in the league of the past 20 years. Chicago's a decent team but without him they'd have a lottery pick this season. How he wasn't nominated for the Vezina AND Hart trophies is crazy.

I actually think Detroit could win this series if Chicago had a human being in net and not that space alien born on planet SHUTOUT.

Hes their Osgood. Put him on a team that isn't as dominate, I think hes a middle tier goalie, but, with their team in front of him he doesn't really have to steal games, just make a few big saves, and then be solid and they do the rest.

Not that he was stellar today but if it wasn't for him. The score could have been higher for us in game 2.

And flip the goalie name and team for game 1 as well.

As also was mentioned, 1 game doesn't make or break a goalie as well. Just like the majority in here were all over the one person/few who thought Howard should be benched after not playing the best in game 2 or 3 of the first round, it is pretty foolish for people in here to discredit Crawford all of a sudden just because he plays for a different team when his numbers and play overall this season have suggested otherwise - no matter how he got to those numbers.

I'm not bashing Crawford. He's sort of in the same boat as Jimmy. Hasn't won anything yet. In particular a Stanley Cup.

And btw games 1 and 2 were different for both goalies and teams. Only similar stat was the score.

So flip the goalie name and team I don't buy it.

Gotcha.

I actually agreed with you, I was just terrible in being clear about it.

Works both ways. In one way like you describe it, absolutely neither have proven anything. Completely agree. At the same time, while pretty much the majority in here get what Howard has meant to the team this season, it should go the same way with Crawford as well. True the Hawks all but walked to a #1 seed in the playoffs, but Crawford didn't get his numbers and production in the regular season and playoffs so far by mistake, he certainly played his part as well.

I actually agreed with you, I was just terrible in being clear about it.

Works both ways. In one way like you describe it, absolutely neither have proven anything. Completely agree. At the same time, while pretty much the majority in here get what Howard has meant to the team this season, it should go the same way with Crawford as well. True the Hawks all but walked to a #1 seed in the playoffs, but Crawford didn't get his numbers and production in the regular season and playoffs so far by mistake, he certainly played his part as well.

Ok no worries either way. And I agree with your paragraph here completely.

Yeah that 03-04 season was terrible. What with his 31 wins, 2.24 goals against average, and .910 save percentage. Just awful.

Hes their Osgood. Put him on a team that isn't as dominate, I think hes a middle tier goalie, but, with their team in front of him he doesn't really have to steal games, just make a few big saves, and then be solid and they do the rest.

This is getting lame. Put ANY player on a worse team and their numbers will decrease. You don't think Patrick Roy would suffer if he played for a garbage team?

Yeah. In his only full season there he had a 2.24 GAA and .910 SP and helped them make the playoffs in both of the years he he played for them. Lol
And he led the Isles to the playoffs for the first time in years. Hahahahahahahahahahahahashahahaha

Yeah. In his only full season there he had a 2.24 GAA and .910 SP and helped them make the playoffs in both of the years he he played for them. Lol
And he led the Isles to the playoffs for the first time in years. Hahahahahahahahahahahahashahahaha

Ozzie never had a losong season. If he doesnt make the HOF, it will be a shame. He was awesome.

What I don't get is, Crawford got smoked last season, in the first round. And so, going into this season, everyone was all "Goaltending's a real question mark (because of what happened last season, in the first round)." And, about one game into the season, everyone decides, "Oh, hey, goaltending's not an issue. Phew." And, like, Kevin Weekes verbally fellating this team a few weeks ago, basically saying, "They've proven last season - the first round - was a fluke. They're going all the way this season, absolutely no question whatsoever." Which, ok, is maybe not so hard to understand. But, I dunno, where I come from, the regular season really doesn't mean anything. Nor does smoking the eighth-seeded Minnesota Wild (and their backup goalie, and their backup goalie's backup goalie) in th first round. ("Man, I really wasn't sure about these guys, but now that they've beaten the Wild in five games, I'm all in, baby.")

"If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating, as possibility!" - Kierkegaard

What I don't get is, Crawford got smoked last season, in the first round. And so, going into this season, everyone was all "Goaltending's a real question mark (because of what happened last season, in the first round)." And, about one game into the season, everyone decides, "Oh, hey, goaltending's not an issue. Phew." And, like, Kevin Weekes verbally fellating this team a few weeks ago, basically saying, "They've proven last season - the first round - was a fluke. They're going all the way this season, absolutely no question whatsoever." Which, ok, is maybe not so hard to understand. But, I dunno, where I come from, the regular season really doesn't mean anything. Nor does smoking the eighth-seeded Minnesota Wild (and their backup goalie, and their backup goalie's backup goalie) in th first round. ("Man, I really wasn't sure about these guys, but now that they've beaten the Wild in five games, I'm all in, baby.")

And then, y'know, that ridiculous Sports Illustrated thing...

Howard strings together 2-3 good seasons and lots of people say he hasn't proven himself enough, but one good season from Crawford and suddenly he's the guy who proved everyone wrong and is going to carry his team to the cup. I don't get it

the truth is that Crawford together with Hawks defense are very solid. how much of that can be attributed just to Crawford's talent and how much is him and d-men working good together is difficult to say. but it is this combination the other team has to play against and it is working for the Hawks. period.

there are definitely known cases of goalies who thrived in one particular team but a trade later in their career proved fatal to their reputation, i.e. Giguere + Ducks, Vokoun + Preds, Sanford + Blues, Kiprusoff + Flames... Crawford might just be one of them, but as of now it's moot point to discuss. Wings need to get through him and his defense and make no mistake - this is a capable combination...

Crawford kept them in that game last night when it could've easily went downhill even more for the Hawks in the 2nd period.

Thankfully Howard has outplayed him a little bit more and been the better of the 2 goalies but to say Crawford hasn't been doing his job so far and giving the Hawks a chance to win is pretty ridiculous.

Crawford is good for this team, but if he played elsewhere, I don't think he'd be as successful. I think Howard is way better than Crawford and if he played for a different team, he'd still be just as good.